The book is well worth reading, but the tone bothered me.

Kerr extensively summarizes Japan's slow descent to its current condition - that of a construction state. He says that basically the fat profits of cheap exports floated a lot of inept industries since WWII (the fumes of which are today still more or less doing the same). This was done by spreading around the wealth with a lot of make-work projects (i.e. the oft-mentioned roads to nowhere, pointless bridges etc.). His analysis is generally well done, interesting, and something I agree with.

But here is where I have a problem: he essentially divides Japan into two groups; (1) the construction companies, their cronies, their supporting bureaucrats and (2) everyone else.

He then blames group (1) for this construction state in place today. You see, group (2) is an innocent victim of these dastardly construction companies. I say that is nonsense.

To me, there comes times for everyone, even in Japan, where you have to take a stand. To this point, nearly no one has (as far as cutting back on these projects). Kerr states that he has received a ton of letters from Japanese people who agree with him but just couldn't voice their opinions for fear they'd be ostracized. But again, I tend to think this falls flat.

In living in Tokyo, I see people living pretty affluent lives (certainly the highest in the world on average) as result of the government spreading around all this money. And I don't think too many of them would give it up in favor of the environmental cost of one more dam being constructed. But that is entirely my opinion.

For being an American, I take a lot **** for what the US government does (whether I agree with it or not). I think the Japanese people ought to take an equal amount. I mean, people in Japan live pretty nice lives and they get to be considered victims of a government gone mad too? This just doesn't wash with me.

But again, the book is worth reading.

Captain